Density could save Perth's small businesses from high street suffering: Saffioti
Perth's high street woes could be soothed by increasing the density of housing near them, Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has suggested.
Debate over the cause of high-profile closures of businesses on Perth high streets has been raging since May.
Speaking at a Property Council breakfast on Thursday morning Ms Saffioti re-confirmed the government's commitment to educate WA on increased density and said the fortunes of small business should form a part of the debate.
"Density supports small business," she said. "You can get in the car and you're going to go to a major shopping centre because there's discount stores and massive variety but if you can develop density around the walkable catchment of small business you're supporting that small business.
"I think that's a really big theme that I think local chambers of commerce and local businesses and small businesses need to jump on.
"If you get more people living closer to your shop door you'll probably be better, its as simple as that."
Ms Saffioti said the state was about to 'engage a group' to assist them with a trial community education program on density in a particular suburb.
Changing the hearts and minds of Perth's land-lovers will be difficult.
"Density or infill sometimes scares people but when you talk to people and say wouldn't it be great if you get to retire in a suburb that you know in a smaller house, apartment or townhouse? People say yes," Ms Saffioti said.
"That's great but then they don't like density."
"When you present those key factors people support you, but there are some people in the community who feel like any change is bad and I don't think we can ever convince those people, but the majority of people I think will understand that we can not all live in a four by two for our entire lives."
The government is preparing a "comprehensive" response to Evan Jones' 2018 Green Paper on planning system reform, and said in May it was "not too far" from releasing it.